Officer Randall Kerrick is charged with voluntary manslaughter. His lawyers were in court Tuesday for a first appearance on the charge. Kerrick, 27, did not attend. The judge scheduled an Oct. 7 probable cause hearing for Kerrick.

After the hearing, defense attorney Michael Greene declined to take questions but said of Kerrick: “His actions were justified on the night in question.”

Kerrick joined the police force after working as an animal control officer.

That had to be a step up in prestige for Officer Kerrick. Going from hunting down runaway poodles to gunning down accident victims.

What happened to Jonathan Ferrell was a gross overreaction and is indefensible. Kerrick had no business being given a gun and a badge. This is why the toxicology results will be extremely important in determining what Ferrell’s state of mind was. Unless Ferrell was drunk or high, I can’t see any way to categorize his death as anything but an outrageous example of incompetence and police brutality.

But I wouldn’t be surprised to see his killer walk free and be back on the beat. Disgusted? Yes. Surprised? No.

I would like to be able to tell my son he has nothing to fear from the police. Then I remember he is a tall, big young man and somebody might consider that to mean he’s scary and potentially dangerous. Psst…and he’s Black.

I’d be a damn fool to tell my son he nothing to fear from the police. Blacks killed by other Blacks seem to be only ones that end up being punished.

Georgia Ferrell, Jonathan’s mother told CBS News she forgave Kerrick.

“I do forgive him,” Georgia Ferrell says. “I so forgive him, but I do want justice.”